Today, the UK's fastest growing budget hotel chain, Travelodge became the first major hotel mover in the smoking ban debate by declaring that they will be completely smoke free by January 2008. The budget chain will make all public areas in their hotels smoke free by the beginning of July 2007 but go a step further by eradicating smoking from all rooms completely by the turn of the year.
Travelodge, serving over 6.5 million each year and operating 318 UK hotels have made the move following overwhelming feedback on the subject from both customers and staff. Research by budget chain revealed 92% of non-smoking customers and even 59% of smoking customers are in favour of banning smoking in public places.
The 'Attitudes to Smoking' study also suggested that customers are willing to vote with their sleep as three in four non-smokers said that they would prefer to stay in a hotel with a 100% no-smoking policy.
Grant Hearn, Travelodge Chief Executive said: "We are always talking to our customers and staff about important social issues such as 'no smoking' and the response in favour of the ban has been extremely powerful. Just 12% of our customers said that they were smokers and over half of those were supportive of smoke-free hotels."
In addition all new Travelodge hotels opened from 1 July 2007 will have a 100% no-smoking policy.
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For more information please contact:
Shakila Ahmed, PR Manager
E: shakila.ahmed@travelodge.co.uk
T: 01844 358 638
Notes to editors:
Travelodge is UK's fastest growing and most recognised budget hotel company: Travelodge has 318 hotels within the UK, Ireland and Spain (20,000 rooms in total). Over 6 million people stay with Travelodge every year.
Growth: Travelodge has a target of 70,000 rooms (700 new hotels) by 2020 - this means opening a new hotel every eight working days. This will be achieved via organic growth including new build properties and regenerating existing buildings. By the 2012 Olympics, Travelodge aims to be the biggest hotel operator in Central London (within the North and South Circular), with a target of 7,000 rooms in the Capital.
Travelodge has 40 hotel openings planned in 2007, which equates to one new hotel opening every eight days. Locations include: Heathrow Terminal 4 & 5, Luton, Swindon, London Euston, London City Road, Eastbourne, Holyhead, Blackpool, Redditch and Windsor.
Travelodge offers an online booking service at www.travelodge.co.uk. Competitively priced, Travelodge room rates start from just £15 per room, per night. (£15 room rates are subject to availability and can only be booked online).
Travelodge was the first budget brand to launch in the UK in 1985.